Fitness Coach
But in scientific terms, it really does work.
It is okay to have it once in a fortnight, but if you do it week after week, the results will be zero.
Calorie balance is the key
Gaining or losing body weight depends on the equation of calories in versus calories out.
If a deficit of 500 calories is created in a day on diet + exercise, then an estimated 1.5–2 kg of weight should be lost in a month.
But a small “biryani or pulao” plate from a restaurant can contain about 800–1200 calories.
👉 This means that eating it once can eliminate the calorie deficit for a few days.
➡️ High calorie + low satiety food
Biryani, roast, kebabs are high in oil, ghee, cream, sugar, and sauce.
They are digested quickly, spike insulin, and increase hunger.
As a result, even if you eat a little once, there is a risk of overeating throughout the day/the next day.
➡️ Water retention effect
Restaurant food is very high in sodium (salt).
The body retains water → when you measure your weight, you see that it is not going down / on the contrary, it has increased.
👉 This breaks motivation, although fat can be reduced.
“A little” is actually not a little
Our mentality is: “I ate a little”.
But scientifically, a deficit of 200–300 calories is also important to lose weight.
“A little biryani” 2–3 times a week means a few thousand extra calories → the calorie deficit for the whole week is covered.
➡️ Adaptive metabolism
Regular exercise makes the body smart, it learns to maintain energy with fewer calories.
Then, eating a little extra calories quickly stores fat.
👉 So weight loss stops.
➡️ Inflammation and hormonal effects
Fast food/restaurant food contains transfat and processed oil → increases inflammation.
This increases insulin resistance, cortisol (stress hormone) → slows down fat loss.
✅ So what is the solution?
Consistency > Perfection → Sometimes cheat meals are okay, but the frequency should be reduced.
Planned Cheating → Plan to eat 2 times a month, so that mental stress is reduced.
Portion Control → Eat on a small plate instead of a big plate, less rice, more salad.
Aftermath Balance → Reduce calories and increase walking/workout the day after a cheat meal.
Track Everything → If you track calories on an app instead of thinking “a little”, you can understand the real calculation.
The body is like a machine. It will keep track of what you eat.
Even if you do your diet and exercise properly, if you regularly eat high calories “a little”, then weight loss will stop.
